The Rays were an American group formed in New York City in 1955, and active into the early 1960s.[1] They first recorded for Chess Records. Their biggest hit single was "Silhouettes", a moderately-slow doo-wop piece of pop music that reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957 on Cameo after being initially released on the small XYZ Records.[1] It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[2] The song was written by Bob Crewe and Frank Slay, Jr.[2] Also on XYZ, they had a minor hit with "Mediterranean Moon" a mid-chart hit with "Magic Moon" (by this time, XYZ was being nationally distributed by London Records).[citation needed]
They also recorded the original version of "Daddy Cool",[1] which was used as part of a medley with Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It", for the UK band Darts which made number 6 in the UK Singles Chart in 1977.[3] The song also lent its name to the Australian band Daddy Cool, who recorded the song in 1971.[citation needed]
"Silhouettes" was also released by The Diamonds in 1957 reaching number 10 on the charts and later in a slightly faster cover version by Herman's Hermits in 1965, reaching number 5 on the US chart. It was also covered by Bob Dylan, but still unreleased, from his Basement Tapes sessions in the late 1960s.[citation needed]
Group members
editBillboard singles
edit- 1957 "Silhouettes" US Black Singles number 3
- 1957 "Silhouettes" U.S. Pop Singles number 3
- 1960 "Mediterranean Moon" U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number 95[6]
- 1961 "Magic Moon (Clair de lune)" U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number 49[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 350. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
- ^ a b c Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 95. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ "Drummond 'Daddy Cool'". Pop Archives. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
- ^ "Latest R&B, Doo Wop and Group Harmony News & Updates". us6.campaign-archive.com. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ "The Dead Rock Stars Club 1994 - 1995". thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ a b "The Rays – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 17 August 2015.